YORK’S answer to Arnold Schwarzenegger turned 80 today - and he’s not giving up pumping iron any time soon.

According to a recent American study, training with weights can seriously improve your longevity - and it certainly seems to have worked for Brian House, of Dringhouses.

The former bodybuilder still works out three times a week and even turned up at the gym on his milestone birthday, before hitting the town with a group of friends.

He got into bodybuilding when he was about 14 and was encouraged by an ex-Army PT instructor. He later became an Army PT instructor himself and only gave up competing seriously when he was 60.

When he was competing in major tournaments in the 1960s, Brian even became pals with future Hollywood action star, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The pair didn’t compete against each other directly, as they were in different classes, but Brian says he was a nice guy: “You could tell he was going to go a long way.

“He couldn’t speak much English, but I served in Germany in the Army so I knew enough German to chat to him.”

Daughter Julie’s claim to fame is that she sat on Arnie's knee when she was a youngster in 1967, though, sadly, there is no photograph of the momentous occasion. Brian also warrants a paragraph in the star's autobiography.

As well meeting Arnie, Julie said: "The Hulk [Lou Ferrigno] came to tea and the original Darth Vader [Dave Prowse] is my godfather."

That same year, Brian scooped fourth place in the Mr Universe tournament - the same year that big Arnie took the crown in his first major competition win.

That was Brian’s best placing in the tournament, however, he did win both Mr Yorkshire and Mr Britain in his time.

Brian opened his first gym, The Brian House Health Studio, in Fishergate in 1983 and moved to Atlanta Health and Fitness in Clifton Moor in 1987.

He still trains there - and trains others - but the gym is now run by his daughter.

She never took up bodybuilding herself, but is a qualified competition judge at international level. Brian is qualified to judge at national level.

His son, Paul - who now suffers with osteoporosis - used to compete when he was younger and won at the junior British championship in 1996, the same year his dad won the seniors.

Brian still takes great pleasure from bodybuilding. He said: “I just train for myself now and I’ll probably do it till I die.

“It’s not about the bodybuilding any more, it’s about keeping yourself fit and keeping your body in good condition.

“We have people here [at the gym] in their 90s!”

After his training session this morning, Brian let his hair down and headed off with the lads from the gym for a meal and “a few pints”.